California murder suspect posts 8th highest bail in U.S.

HILLSBOROUGH, California -- A woman charged in a high-profile murder case is expected to make bail this week in Hillsborough, California. Her bail of $35 million is among the highest in memory, but she's posting twice that amount as required by law.

The lawyer for defendant Tiffany Li says he's been told the $35 million is the eighth-highest ever made in the country in state court.

For many, making this kind of bail is mind boggling. The district attorney says this is a perfect example of how the bail system gives advantages to the rich.

"Somebody charged with murder in San Mateo County is going to post a $35 million bail by posting over $60 million in property, and that is not what we have encountered in San Mateo County before," said San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

That "somebody" is Tiffany Li, the woman charged with killing Keith Green, her ex-boyfriend, and father of their two young children.

Since she's making bail by posting property instead of cash, by law the equity in the properties come from her supporters, and that he says, should tell you something about Li.

"Friends, distant relatives, business associates who are willing to risk their houses for this woman," said Li's defense lawyer Geoff Carr.

A source who knows the family tells ABC7 News, Li's family is rich and powerful in China, that her mother has extensive real estate holdings in California including a mansion in affluent Hillsborough where Li lived.

It's there that investigators believe Green was killed.

Li, her current boyfriend Kavyeh Bayat, and Oliver Adella are all in custody charged with murder.

The district attorney had asked for no bail because he believes she is a flight risk.

"Oh, I think definitely, I think very much," Wagstaffe said. "She faces the rest of her life in prison if convicted -- very disappointed today to hear about the bail."

"Very disappointing today, to hear about the bail," said Angela Dunn, longtime family friend of Green who cannot believe Li will bail out. "When you have many, many, many hundreds of millions of dollars, you wonder if that plays into it."

The county counsel has been reviewing all the $70 million in equity in the properties Li submitted for bond. ABC7 News has been told it all checks out.

She's expected to walk out sometime after her hearing, free on bail.

The precautions to prevent her possible escape to China, where her family is, are going to be at the very heart of Thursday's hearing.

Both the district attorney and the defense have agreed on the terms of electronic home monitoring 24-seven, instead of the random system which the sheriff uses.

Thursday the judge is expected to sign off on those agreements.

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